Community Corner

Happy Halloween!

How are you going to celebrate? Here are some ideas for fabulous decorations. And be sure to keep it safe. Here's how.

All around town, people are preparing for Halloween, which will be celebrated Thursday night! 

Rumor has it that there are those in my neighborhood who are preparing for mischief night. That's fine. We actually had a mischief week this year, we started several days ago. 

If you haven't decorated yet, Madison Flower Shop at 376 Durham Road in Madison, CT has some fabulous decorations, ranging in price from $14.99 up to $119.99. And some of these truly are keepsakes. Check out the photos, or their Facebook page for more information.

Late afternoon, early evening on Thursday there will be a trunk or treat on the town green. Please arrive BEFORE 4 p.m. Please be careful while parking. It will run until 6 p.m. But leave a little extra time, because chances are some help might be needed to tidy up afterwards. 

Here is more information on the trunk or treat

And after that, it's trick or treat time. In our neighborhood, we usually get lots of ghosts, goblins, princesses and the like. We get kids from our neighborhood, other neighborhoods, and even other towns. How about you? What are you giving out this year? Are you dressing up? What kind of decorations have you put outside? 

Let us know! And have a happy and safe Halloween. Here are some tips from the North Madison Volunteer Fire Co. on how to keep it safe: 

Halloween is approaching!! It’s the time of the year for festive costumes, endless candy, spooky jack-o-lanterns, and creepy decorations. North Madison Fire would like share some recommendations from The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and remind everyone to take a few simple precautions to keep Halloween safe and enjoyable. 

•When choosing a costume, stay away from billowing or long trailing fabric. If you are making your own costume, choose material that won't easily ignite if it comes into contact with heat or flame. If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough so they can see out. 

•Provide children with flashlights to carry for lighting or glow sticks as part of their costume. 

•Dried flowers, cornstalks, and crepe paper are highly flammable. Keep these and other decorations well away from all open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs and heaters. 

•It is safest to use a flashlight or battery-operated candles in a jack-o-lantern. If you use a real candle, use extreme caution. Make sure children are watched at all times when candles are lit. When lighting candles inside jack-o-lanterns, use long fireplace-style matches or a utility lighter. Be sure to place lit pumpkins well away from anything that can burn and far away from trick-or-treaters, doorsteps, walkways, and yards. 

•If you choose to use candle decorations, make sure to keep them well attended at all times. 

•Remember to keep exits clear of decorations, so nothing blocks escape routes. 

•Tell children to stay away from open flames. Be sure they know how to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches fire. (Have them practice stopping immediately, dropping to the ground, covering their face with hands, and rolling over and over to put the flames out.) 

•Use flashlights as alternatives to candles or torch lights when decorating walkways and yards. They are much safer for trick-or-treaters, whose costumes may brush against the lighting



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